


Naive

by polche



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-17 00:11:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11263938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polche/pseuds/polche
Summary: Genis tries to convince Mithos to give the gang a chance to sort things out.I want to make a bigger thing out of this but until I do my research and get an outline written up, this is just the groundwork.I did it. It's here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11305167/chapters/25297422





	Naive

**Author's Note:**

> It's been entirely too long since I last played Symphonia, but it was the first game that really hit me narratively, and it's been a very big influence on me growing up. I've always felt a lot for Mithos, and from the first time I finished the game to this very day, I've wanted him to redeem himself.
> 
> I'm not entirely sure where this would go on the timeline, since it's all blurring together in my head, but I figure this would be before Colette becomes Martel's vessel... Not entirely sure when, though.

Genis clenched his fist. His knees buckled with the weight of his realization. "You don't even want to save the world anymore, you just want your sister back!"

Mithos turned around, his eyes far off, looking at a future or a past that was far out of reach. Even though he looked right at Genis, he stared right through him as well. "So?" he asked with a shrug. "You'd do the exact same thing."

Genis' feet brought him towards the boy he thought was his friend one hesitant step at a time. "Maybe I would have, if things were the same," he admitted. Raine had been everything to him, the only constant source of safety in an uncertain, hostile world. This much had been the same for the two of them. But Raine and Genis had found a place in Iselia. "But they're not. I have friends." Sure, they were all outcasts in one way or another, but even the Tethe'allans had put their prejudices aside solve this whole mess, with the intent of changing the world for the better for half-elves, too. He was still on the fence about Zelos, but if anyone could convince him... "I have Lloyd."

"Lloyd," Mithos growled. They'd gotten along, when he was still pretending, but in retrospect that had been nothing but an act. "Lloyd is an idiot. He's blind and ignorant - do you know how many people have tried this before? What makes you think he of all people is going to succeed where others - where _I_ \- have failed?"

Genis stood in front of him, an arm's reach away. Mithos bristled with rage, the very air around him thick with mana, ready to explode. Genis reached out anyway.

" _Because_ he's an idiot. He rushes in without thinking, and he makes stupid plans that should never work. And that's why it does."

Genis forced his hand through the dense coat of mana around his friend, tried not to wince as it crackled against his skin. He put his hand over Mithos' tiny wrist. Mithos, fortunately, was too busy staring at him with wide, wild eyes, trying to understand the oxymoronic explanation given, to take it back.

"He's too stupid to think that what he's doing won't work, and he's optimistic to a fault, and he just wants everyone to get along. That kind of honest kindness..." Genis gave a small single-shoulder shrug. "I want to see where it goes. I need to."

Mithos finally pulled his arm back and pushed Genis away. "He's naive. _You're_ naive. It's hopeless," he said. The scowl on his face remained, but the fire was gone. He shook his head, took a step back, and with a flash of light, he vanished.

Genis' legs finally gave out as the adrenaline dissipated with the release of gathered mana. He found he suddenly couldn't control his breathing as it staggered in his throat, and his eyes burned with the onset of tears. He shook his head. He couldn't break down now. He had to be stronger, for everyone's sake, especially his. He felt sick.

**Author's Note:**

> I have too many ideas....


End file.
